Voting open for car giveaway

One family in need is a step closer to receiving a free 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix SE for Christmas, thanks to a number of area businesses and the votes of the community.

Three finalists have been chosen and voting is now open through Facebook.

The car giveaway contest idea was formulated by Bill Sain of S&P Auto Body, and other area businesses joined in to help sponsor the event, including C&S Automotive, N&N Aftermarket Parts, Geldhof Tire, Caswell RV, Fred Haight Insurance, Home Experts, Riverside Auto Wash and All Seasons Insurance Agency.

Since the end of November, Rick Poole of S&P Auto Body has received 50 letters from community members on behalf of someone deserving of a Christmas blessing.

"There were certainly a lot of deserving people," said Poole. "I wish we had more cars."

Once the deadline to receive letters passed, he said the sponsors received a copy of each letter and used a point system to determine which three were the finalists.

To vote, search for Ionia's Christmas Car Giveaway or visit the S & P Auto Body Facebook page for a link. All three finalist letters have been posted for reading and voting is in a separate post. Names have been removed for fairness, Poole added.

Votes will be taken until 3 p.m. Saturday and the winning family will be notified. The Grand Prix will be given sometime around Christmas Day.

Poole said he wants the contest to continue next Christmas and may be able to offer it again in the spring.

Follow Karin Armbruster on Twitter @ISSKarin

Here are the three letters that have been selected as finalists. Do not vote here. Please visit the Ionia's Christmas Car Giveaway Facebook page to place your vote.

Letter #1"I am writing in regards to your Christmas Car. When you mentioned this, I thought of my very dear friend ----, whom I have known since elementary school.

----- is now 38. She has two children, ---- 7 and ---- 6. In January of 2010, I received an early morning phone call from ----, of course apologizing for calling me so early, to let me know that her husband ---- had an heart atta...ck and that they were at Sparrow in Lansing. She told me not to worry, everything was going to be okay.

I headed down to Sparrow, --- was on life support. ----never once asked anyone for anything, just prayers. It then came time for -----to go into a small room and make the decision to donate ----'s organs. She had so much paper work and decisions to make. Nobody should ever have to become a widow at age 35 and suddenly a single mother of two precious babies. ----- made the decision to donate ----'s organs to help someone else in need. The whole time she held herself together. Her life was changing forever.

After more tests were ran, the decision had to be made as to when and not if ---- was going to be removed from life support. It was very hard for the family to stay during this process but ----- wanted to be by -----'s side when he took his last breath.

She asked me to be in the room with her as they removed his vent. -----again, kept her composure as she said goodbye to her best friend, her husband and the father of her children.

I will never forget that day. Why do the good die young? Why is this happening to such a great person? Why? ------ has always been a very hard worker, great Friend, Aunt, Niece, sister and daughter etc. ----- has struggled to financially keep herself afloat, works in Lansing every day to support herself and her little ones.

She is in desperate need of a vehicle, she has had a couple of old vans that she just kept putting money into. One the radio didn't work, and something else, but she would just laugh, it is what it is. So very positive. Then she finally got a decent van so I thought, only to find out she had to dump a lot of money into head gaskets only after having it a few months. (Thank God for Jim Edlin allowing her to make payments and cutting down the cost for her as low as possible)

The Christmas Car for her will be the first nice car she has had. She needs a reliable car to get her to and from work, and to travel safely with her children. Did I mention that ----has an older daughter -----, that -----calls her "bonus daughter" that just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. ------ is just thrilled she is a grandma.

- ---- lives in Brighton. It would be so nice if ----- had a reliable vehicle to see ----- and the baby whenever she wanted without worry of transportation - Baby ---- is a blessing to the family, ---- would be so proud.

------ amazes me. She doesn't use the "I'm a widow, poor me" card at all. She continues to ask how everyone else is doing and what is it she can do for others when she is suffering herself. She is such a great mom to--- and -----. She has handled their dad's death in the best manner possible... being so strong for the children and always being there for the kids. Again, ----- would be so proud how she is raising her family and dealing with his loss.

If ------- was given this car, she could focus on saving money for herself and her babies, for a newer house and maybe not wondering if she will be able to make it to work, or when it will break down on her. She has been through the worst, losing her father then her husband, yet she still puts on a smile each and every day. I could go on and on.

Please consider this beautiful family for your Christmas Car. I cannot think of anyone more deserving than ----, ---- and -----"

Letter #2"I am a childcare director in Ionia , many of my customers touch and bless my heart with their lives circumstances and especially children.

--- is one of those customers. She moved here last spring from out of state and sought daycare here so she could find full time work. She is a single mom with four children 1 1/2, 3,7 and 8.

She holds down a full time job and has no vehicle.---...uses public transportation and the kindness of friends or coworkers to get back and forth to work, bring her children to childcare, doctors office or shopping.

Two of those children require car seats, making it more difficult to get a ride with friends or tote the car seats on Dial a Ride. Her job at a local restaurant sometimes requires working on weekends when Dial a Ride is not available.

I have been in her home and seen how well she makes due with minimal furniture and possessions. Her children are loving, seem secure and well cared for. They have no family in the immediate area to call for help.

It's my opinion that having a vehicle would be a major blessing to this family and make life a little easier for them"

Letter #3

"I understand that your business and others in your community are having a contest for a worthy family in your area.I know of a very worthy family right in Ionia.

I would like to nominate ------ and children ---- and ----.

Their story began on Memorial Day 2012. ---s mom was hospitalized in Lansing with severe diabetes and the possibility of having a foot removed. Because ---s dad wo...rked out of town, the responsibility of helping mom was handed to --- and---,being the eldest of that family. Many trips from Ionia to Carson City and then to Lansing. She remained in Sparrow from admission until after Labor Day. She still has her foot , but suffered a stroke like episode after Thanksgiving.

Meanwhile, ---- and ---little five year old son had a boil on his neck and was admitted to Helen Devos hospital in Grand Rapids. After many tests was sent home, the another boil in August returned to the hospital where he got Mersa.This little five year old was such a fighter and again went home. The week of November 14th he was experiencing seizures and a high fever and again returned to the hospital. After being there for weeks, he was finally diagnosed with Leukemia. The doctors have told them he will take Chemotherapy now and will follow up with radiation later. This treatment will last about three years. Two times a week for that trip to Grand Rapids.

When ---was returning to Grand Rapids with her son early in December, her car blew the engine on the Beltline. They had it towed , and was loaned her Mom's old pick up until they could get a different one. ---Dad sold them a old car for two hundred dollars. It has nearly 300,000 miles on it. These kids are not takers , ---works on a farm and ---stays at home to get -- off to her second grade class and take care of ---- who has many special needs. For a brief time ----was missing school because no one was home to care for her.(grandma is there now so she can go to school) ---needs to work to support the family.

This is a very sweet family, and would be very deserving of the car you are giving away, or any help you could give them"